Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Thoughts of the Day

There has been this conflict in my mind lately as to epistemology. Epistemology is the philosophy of thought...basically. Where do the thoughts of Americans come from. I've realized people who haven't taken philosophy tend to have a very closed mind, even though they don't realize it. Many people I'm surrounded by are just so terribly closed minded. I personally need to work on this. But where do these closed minded notions come from? Society? Brainwashing? Their own thoughts?

In particular, war has been on my mind. War is insane. For the most part I simply don't understand it. I was just talking to my roommates and being a bit obnoxious quizzing them about the most peaceful countries in the world. They mocked France saying they've never won a war. My roommates boyfriend said all the other countries are pancies and too afraid to stand up for what they believe. And I know a great majority of Idahoins (way to generalize Taylor, speaking of cloesmindedness...) anyways, a lot of Idahoins are ultra conservative. Madison county is like 90% Republican. So as my roommates boyfriend (who is a very nice guy and I have no problems with) raves about how every country that isn't in a war is a pansy, I couldn't help bit think how crazy that is. I said "maybe those countries value the lives of their citizens?" Then let it go, I was outnumbered, and I really don't think they were in the mood for a philosophical argument about the necessity or lack thereof of war.

Why do you have to go to war to fight for what you believe in? In many instances it seems America was trying to "defend" what we believed to countries that had very little to do with us. It is the same with the Government getting involved in the affairs of citizens personal lives. Like marriage. What in the world does a separate Government institution have to do with the marriage of two people? Sure there are taxing reasons and such, but why is that even in existence?

We need to declare peace. That is what it says in the scriptures. The only time we should go to war is to defend our family and freedom (and I'm sure there are other reasons, but I don't feel like looking it up right now). But the point is, it is to defend!

I think its incredibly interesting that being at a Mormon school with mostly conservative teachers, I'm finding my thoughts turn to a more and more liberal standpoint. I love that. It makes me safely feel I am not being brainwashed and they totally leave it to us as students to discover our opinions. Classes are built to provoke thought and leave it to the students to decide what is right.

Ok, this was definitely a rant. Not a very good one at that. But I wish people would be open minded. I wish I was better at being more open minded. I support peace. I support countries like France, Denmark, and Sweden that are very happy and socialist. They are functioning well even though they aren't in war and "defending what they believe in." (though it is sad they are the least religious countries in the world). And, as always, I love BYU-Idaho.

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Quotes

"God is more interested in your availability, than you capability, because he knows your possibilities." Unknown

“The next time I have meat and mashed potatoes, I think I'll put a very large blob of potatoes on my plate with just a little piece of meat. And if someone asks me why I didn't get more meat, I'll just say, "Oh, you mean this?" and pull out a big piece of meat from inside the blob of potatoes, where I've hidden it. Good magic trick, huh?” Jack Handy

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” Audrey Hepburn

"Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." George Orwell

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." Albert Camus

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." Harper Lee

"The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn't know how to read." Benjamin Franklin

"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've wondered where this started, and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad." Jack Handy

"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it." Jack Handy

"You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable...it's your choice." Gordon B. Hinckley

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." Oscar Wilde

"If life gets too hard to stand, kneel." Gordon B. Hinckley

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are." Margorie Pay Hinckley

"The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness." William Blake